Thank You
by royaltyofaurorablue
Summary: 'Sasori was going to pass away. Sakura was going to watch him die again.'


**Naruto doesn't belong to me.**

XXXXXX

"You sure want to do this?"  
"Positive."  
"Sakura. You can back down."  
"Kankuro. Let's pretend this is a good idea before I change my mind."

A sigh was released from Kankuro's lips before he glanced at Sakura again. He wasn't expecting her agreeing on coming. Didn't expect that she was actually going to travel to the broken down cave that she battled with Akasuna no Sasori.

He was worried about her but he was also skeptical. He didn't really believe her story when she mentioned that Sasori controlled a hundred puppets during the fight along with the third Kazekage's special jutsu; iron sand.

Sakura, on another hand, was nearly focused on heading to the cave if it can even be called that anymore. She wrecked so much more than Sasori and Chiyo combined. Her enhanced super strength really came in handy in that fight to the death. She just wished the two people that didn't let her be on the sidelines didn't die so quickly.

They gave her a chance to show she got stronger and wasn't just seen a medical-nin. It warmed her heart even when she got very annoyed with one of them. Back then; she didn't know the story between Sasori and Chiyo but now; she can understand why he didn't love his grandmother.

She would be mad as well if her grandmother lied to her about the status of her parent's deaths for so long she had to find out for herself. If you do include the cruelty that Suna used to produced during those times and the fact the red-haired used work with Orochimaru; she can understand why Sasori was so far gone that death was the only option to save him.

But killing him with the puppets that looked like his parents was a sorry excuse. Chiyo didn't even look she regret it at all. She only looked sad before she opened her mouth and told him about the flaws of his idea to become a puppet.

Sakura could have told him that without that brutal way to kill him off. It was hard to watch him die even when he tried numerous ways to kill her off. He nearly succeeded if it wasn't Chiyo saving her. He still terrified her though.

" _My grand nephew never recovered from his parent's death. My sister did and that's why Sasori couldn't handle her anymore. Couldn't handle her lies and her easy ability to move on from her son's death. I, like Sasori, haven't move on either. She was more colder than he will ever be."_

 _Ebizo told her the night before Kankuro and her took off to get Sasori's body from the cave. Sakura stared at him for a long moment before she looked down at the table with a small sad frown. She didn't expect that was the reason why Sasori hated his grandmother so much. She understands now._

" _Did he…. Find out who killed them?" She asked softly and she heard the elder shift in his seat for a long moment; clearly uncomfortable suddenly and she wonder why. She looked up to see him staring at her (she assumed because she doesn't actually see his eyes) for a long moment before he gestured to where Konoha was located miles away._

 _She will admit she was happily lost and it must have showed on her face because Ebizo sadly smiled at her direction. So when he replied; Sakura was taken back. She sat in shock because she never expected Kakashi's father would be the one that killed them._

" _I have heard that he killed himself. Do you know anything about that?" Ebizo asked softly before taking a small sip of his tea; hot and she didn't have the heart to tell him that might burn his mouth. He seemed to liked it hot but she didn't so she will wait a little more._

 _Sakura shook her head. "I don't ask that stuff to Kakashi-sensei. I don't think he would ever tell anyone anyway. It's not something to speak freely of it." So she gave Ebizo a small apologetic smile but he didn't seem to mind her ignorance on the matter. He didn't expect an answer anyway._

" _Orochimaru must have made my grand nephew feel worse." Ebizo suddenly said; changing the subject and Sakura stiffened at the mention of the snake that was currently driving Sasuke mad with hatred and the need for vengeance. So Sakura asked why Ebizo thought that._

" _Orochimaru is a manipulator; a true villain. He's twisted enough to bend people enough for them to break for his own amusement. I have heard stories that he have used countless people. He doesn't care about people's feelings other than himself." Ebizo begun his tale and Sakura already assumed about Orochimaru. He seemed like the type when she met him with Sasuke in the Forest of Death._

" _So, when he met my grand nephew that was already alone and no one else by his side; Orochimaru manipulate him. Twisted and break him to the point he became a sadist himself. A manipulator himself. Or what Sasori would have referred; a true puppet master. A man that you met who hated Orochimaru more than anyone; more than you." Ebizo flashed her a small smile and Sakura smiled back because it was noticeable that she hated the snake._

Sakura was snapped out of her thoughts when Kankuro made a sound to gain her attention. She immediately put herself on guard resulting Kankuro to grin. She gave him a confused glance and he gestured to the left that they're at the cave.

Oh. Oops.

So they stepped in the broken cave and Kankuro went to look around the battle sight. He now believed Sakura's story. Sasori actually wield so many puppets and the third Kazekage's iron sand. Sakura, on another hand, slowly walked towards Sasori's body with a small frown.

He was still laying face down on the ground with the Mother and the Father. So sending a quick prayer to all three; Sakura pulled the swords away from his heart before carefully pushing the puppet's away from him. She kneed down on the ground and picked him up. He was light; lighter than she thought. She suppose he had to make himself light for him to fly like that.

She pulled him close enough that his fake hair that looked so real barely touched her. She didn't have the heart turning him around so she can see his cracked face yet. She was still working up the courage. After all he used to haunt her in her sleep during the first few weeks. She never really told anyone that. Not even Naruto and Ino knew about that.

Sakura gave herself another moment before she turned him around to see his face. She did and she studied his face for a long moment. It was enough for Kankuro to stop what he was doing and watched her with concerned.

He didn't want to gain her attention because it seemed like she was having a private moment with Sasori's body as strange that was. He suppose if he was in her shoes; he would have done the same.

What took him by surprise was that Sakura pulled Sasori up just for him lay against her and she leaned down. As if she wanted to cry and she only wanted Sasori to see her tears. She gave Kankuro the impression she was hugging Sasori from behind and he didn't say anything. Didn't interrupt her moment with Sasori's puppet body. It was the least she could have done for the late puppet master; he knew.

So Kankuro turned around and went back searching the battle ground to see if he can salvage any puppets. He knew he should follow Sasori's advice about making his own puppets but he can't help it. Soon he will but he's going to decide that he will carry on Sasori's legacy.

He missed the part where Sakura gave Sasori's forehead a small kiss before she got up holding the red-haired as a big stuffed toy animal. Sakura walked to him telling I got his body. We can return to Suna now.

Kankuro turned to look at her for a long moment. She gave him a look and hugged Sasori tighter towards her body with a frown and he smiled. He raised his hands as if he was surrendering to her before going to where the Mother and the Father puppets were. He could just feel her eye roll at him. He grinned.

He decided to take the two with them in a scroll and they took off after that. Although they did ran into a small problem along the way. Sakura forget to mentioned that this was still Akatsuki's territory so they ran into two rouge nins that was working for the Akatsuki. They manage to win without losing much chakra.

They decided to take another route and it took a bit longer for them to return to Suna but they did it in one piece so they counted their blessings.

xxx

As soon they returned; Gaara gave them a long look when they came inside his office. He let out a sigh before gesturing for Sakura to give Sasori to him. Sakura frown and it took Kankuro to tell her he wouldn't destroy the body. Trusting him; she slowly did. Gaara would have raised a brow but his attention was captured by Sasori.

Sakura was right. He did looked young. So when he looked up at her; she gave him a small smile. She assumed that he was thinking how young Sasori looked even when he was thirty-five years old.

"He may look fifteen but I will assume he made himself a puppet during his time with Orochimaru as his partner after fifteen. Not much is known about the relationship he had with the sannin. There's so much for the imagination. Your thoughts, Sakura?" Gaara asked and Sakura gave herself some time to think that over.

"I would assume he may have been in his late twenties or even nineteen when he turned himself into a puppet, Gaara-sama. I don't know the exact age and never will. We also don't know if Orochimaru helped Sasori out. There are a lot of things for the imagination." She said professionally and he nodded taking that as his answer.

"He's still dead even when you removed him from the sealing the late Chiyo-sama placed. I shall make that note for the next meeting of the council. They will put that in the next Bingo book. Akasuna no Sasori is officially dead. We have nothing to worry about. You two may leave the office." Gaara finished his little speech giving Sasori back to Sakura who took him after a small moment.

Together; Kankuro and Sakura walked to the young puppet master's workshop before a thought passed in Kankuro's head. He turned to look at Sakura and told her maybe Ebizo-sama should see his grand nephew. Sakura looked at him before she carried on and Kankuro let out a sigh.

He's never going to understand how Sakura's mind works. He doubts even that Ino girl knows.

XXXXXXX

That was quite a long time ago. Mere months and next thing Kankuro knows he's in war with the Akatsuki and the five great nations are allies. The battle with the Akatsuki's own ambush squad and it's hell. Was this how Sakura and Sasuke felt when they battled the artist duo? It was dangerous and exhausting. He will also add the blonde is annoying him so he took small pleasure in capturing the same time he captured Sasori.

Although the thing with Sasori…. He seems different. Different from what Sakura described those months ago. It's like he's dull but he realized the flaw turning himself into a puppet and he deems that a small win for Sakura. She actually got through Sasori. He should congratulate her after they win the war.

So Kankuro decided to fire a shot that should warn Kakashi's team he needs assistance. He just hoped Kakashi knew which one to send to help them out or his plan will fail.

XXX

Sakura's heart almost stopped when she saw the shot because that was where Sai and Kankuro was. Her heart sank into her stomach and she turned to Kakashi who looked at the smoke with a frown. He told her to check on them and her eyes' widened. He gave her a small smile before taking off with the others shouting orders.

No choice, huh. Okay than. She got the hint. So Sakura took off to the direction praying her two friends or the rest of the squad has been killed.

Once she reached to the battle ground; Kankuro was waiting for her with a small smile. She was confused to see that no one was hurt and Sai looked like he wanted to run away. It only took her a small moment to realized what happened and when it did; she shouted.

"KANKURO. DID YOU USE THAT SMOKE FLARE TO GAIN MY ATTENTION?!" She shouted. Kankuro winced and opened the two puppets that were sealing the artist duo enough for them to see the scenery again. And to see who the hell shouted.

Sakura stopped herself from saying anything when she noticed Sasori was the one that was the puppet and she glared at Kankuro for a long moment. It didn't take Sasori long to noticed who shouted at Kankuro and he should have known it will be the girl.

Her appearance answered a question he thought awhile. She was still alive it seemed.

"Sasori." She greeted him and he simply stared at her. She frowned at his direction but she walked towards. She ignored Kankuro's team telling her to stop. She only stopped when she was close enough to Sasori. Close enough for him to land a hit on her if he wasn't tired with a black cord.

Judging from his look; Sasori didn't look like he wanted to land a hit on her. Sakura doesn't know what to think about that.

"It seems you're still alive." He was the one first to speak and she gave him a small smile in response. Take it from him to make the first move; he was quite impatient after all.

"Of course. There wouldn't be anyway." She replied and she heard Kankuro snorted at her response from behind.

Sasori looked like he wanted to smirk but he didn't and Sakura was so confused. She raised a hand to touch him and Sasori became on guard judging by his eyes. She gave him a small embarrassed smile and placed a hand on his cheek.

Kankuro raised a brow while Sai simply gave Sakura a look. That touch looked… affectionate. Although it didn't look romantic so it wasn't something to worry about.

Sakura, on another hand, was marveled by how soft and real his cheek was. She rubbed her hand against it for a moment before Sasori decided to lean back a little as much the black cord allowed him to move. She looked up at him. He looked caught off guard and she almost wanted to cry because he really wasn't used to affection.

He was really alone for such a long time.

"I didn't mean to startle you." She begun embarrassed and Sasori shook his head as response. Sakura closed her mouth after that. The silence after that was something else. It wasn't awkward but something that seemed peaceful. As if Sasori and Sakura were the only ones on the battle ground.

So Kankuro chooses that time to tell Sasori about Sasori's goals in life and Sasori looked angry and Sakura didn't blame him. She doesn't have the right to say that. Why should Kankuro?

Before Sakura could tell Kankuro to shut up; Sasori gave her a cold look. The cold look he gave her that day and she resist the urge to step back. Instead she held her ground and waited. "Do you feel the same way Kankuro does?" He asked her.

Sakura's eyes widened at Sasori who simply waited for her to answer. Odd. He was an impatient man. He didn't let death wait after all.

"I-I don't know. I have mixed feelings. I just know he shouldn't be the one to tell you that. It's about you. My feelings about this don't matter." Sakura whispered softly so only he could hear and Sasori's cold look slowly vanished from his eyes.

xxx

"I was there when he picked up Scorpion- your body." Sakura told him quickly when she noticed Kankuro had Scorpion by his side and she wouldn't be surprised if Kankuro battled Sasori with his own old body. As morbid as it was. Sasori frowned slightly.

"Why?" He questioned because he doesn't see why would she see him again since she was angry at him and terrified of him. She frowned at him and he gave her a look.

"Why shouldn't I? I wanted to be there." She told him seriously and he was taken back again. So she continued with a frown saying she finally found the reason why you hated your grandmother so much and she can understand why you hated Chiyo-sama. Ebizo-sama told me the night before that day Kankuro and I set out to get you- your body.

"So you pitied me." A dark look appeared on Sasori's face. A deadly warning if Sakura ever saw one. He looked like he wanted to snap at her but Sakura covered his mouth with her hand (without pausing to think) with a panic look.

"I didn't pitied you! I never did! I was sad that happened to you, okay! That's all, dammit!" She shouted at him uncovering his mouth afterwards. He was about to say something and she wouldn't hear it so she grabbed him by his collar and dragged him down forcefully with a low growl. "I didn't _fucking_ pitied you." She repeated glaring at him.

He glared at her right back. "Why the _fuck_ should I believe you?"

Honestly his height and him all together pissed her off. "Because asshole. Does it look I'm pitying you?" She asked with a annoyed look. He gave her a look; he really was studying her and she let him. As expected; it didn't take him long to draw the conclusion she was indeed not giving him pity.

That feeling of relief was not welcomed.

"Ya know, Sasori. If you have any regrets; you can tell us. It make you pass away easier once we seal you." Kankuro added his cents because he was feeling kinda left out. He was still there and the noise that the blonde was making; he was making a show that he was there too.

' _Honestly, shut up already'_ ; he thought.

Sasori narrowed his eyes and Sakura took that time to do something that caught everyone by surprised. Sakura let go of his collar just to wrap her arms around his waist to hug him.

The girl was hugging him and he was so taken back. Kankuro was the most taken back because he accidently let Sasori completely loose due to losing focus on his chakra that was binding Sasori in place.

"Sak! Get away from him!" Kankuro shouted in panic and Sai quickly walked over to the couple to assist Sakura but he realized he didn't have to.

Because Sasori only made the move to raise one arm to place it on Sakura's back. A spot he knew where he stabbed her that day. That was enough for Sakura even deep down; she wished he picked another spot.

"You need this. I can tell." She whispered and he didn't say anything. He only placed his other arm around her waist and pulled her closer. They embraced each other for a long moment until Sasori felt something happening to the Edo Tensei.

xxx

He pushed her away and Sakura was about to ask when she noticed Edo Tensei was not working the way it should. She drew to the conclusion the same time Sasori did.

Sasori was passing away. Sakura was going to watch him die again.

A tear slide down Sakura's cheek and she only noticed when Sasori raised his hand to gently wiped off her skin. "It's for the best." He told her and she knew he was right. It doesn't mean she had to like it.

"At least you will be the last thing I see before I die again," Sasori told her seriously and Sakura choked on a sob before hugging him tightly. He let her and she didn't let him go until Kankuro made a coughing sound.

"I will miss you," She told him and he looked like he didn't want to believe her so she gave him a smile. "I keep my promises, Sasori. I will never forget you." What happened next shock and warmed Sakura. Sasori gave her a real smile.

Edo Tensei finally reached the stage where Sasori began to lightly glow and cracked; slowly but steady. She wasn't ready to let him go yet and Sasori knew that.

So he lean down to whisper in her ear. "You need to let me move on, Sakura." She was caught off by surprise because this was the first time he ever called her by the name and it must have showed because Sasori gave her a small smirk.

"Sasori. Did you-." Sakura was cut off by Sasori.  
"Thank you, Sakura." The red-haired told her seriously.

Sakura smiled in return even when tears was sliding down her cheeks. Kankuro made sure to tell Sasori he will continue his legacy so he will never be forgotten. Sasori told him to keep the Mother and Father and when you die; give it to the next generation.

Before Sasori could completely disappear; Sakura leaned up to give him a farewell kiss on the cheek. It didn't mean anything and it wasn't romantic in any sorts of the way so Kankuro didn't tell her anything.

Sasori gave her a last smile, a smile only for her to see before he passed away. Sakura choke on small sob and took a deep breath. She was wiping the tears away from him when Sai placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him and he gave her a small smile.

xxx

"If you believe in fate; you and he might see each other in the next life." He told her and she smiled in response. If that was true; let them have more time.

"Now that was odd, yeah," Deidara added his two cents and Sakura turned to look at him with a frown. When she narrowed her eyes at him; he did as well. He was suspicious.

"I'm not going to do the same for him, Kankuro," was all Sakura said before she took one last look at where Sasori was before taking off to find Kakashi and the rest of her team.

Kankuro grinned. "I didn't expect you to." He replied but it was too late.

Later on; once the Shinobi Allied Forces won against the Akatsuki and Kaguya; Sakura made her prayers to Sasori; hoping he was with his parents in the afterlife.

XXXXXXX

Sakura was in her thirties and true to her word; she hadn't forgotten Sasori. Together with her daughter, Sarada, they made prayers to everyone they lost. It was time for the New Year festival and they were having a great time.

"Mama." Sarada began and Sakura glanced at her curiously so Sarada asked who was mama mourning for? Sakura gave her a smile before ringing the bell to single she was finished. Sarada did the same after her mother.

They were halfway to their apartment when Sakura answered with a small smile.

"Someone that's special to me. His name was Sasori." Sakura replied and Sarada looked like she wanted to ask but she choose that time not to. Next time she will and Sakura was grateful for that.

"Thank you, Sakura." A whisper was heard when wind blew and Sakura felt a small chill. She looked at Sarada to see if she heard but it seemed she didn't. The whisper sounded like Sasori and she smiled. A tear slide down her cheek and she felt the chill touch it as if was going to wipe it off.

So she smiled in response and replied, "You're welcome, Sasori."

Sarada gave her mother a look but wisely said nothing. The daughter Sakura had with Sasuke was always observant and Sakura was proud and she knew Sasuke was as well.

 _ **The end.**_

XXXXXX

 **So, while I was on my personal on tumblr; I got an anon asking if I was ever going to do something for SasoSaku in canon and I wrote this. It was my take if Sasori and Sakura reunited in the war and I wished they did. Even when I can understand that Kankuro had to see him go; so soon though. But that's how Sasori is. He doesn't like to make anyone wait even death.**

 **The thing about Ebizo. 100% his thoughts. Not a headcanon.**

 **So this is also the close thing I will get to canon SasoSaku. If it was seemed romantic; it was not my attention. I do not ship them when they're nineteen years or so apart.**

 **Before you tell me that Sasori was the same height as Sakura; I know. He was the same height as her when he was the puppet but as a human/zombie; he's taller than her. Taller than Deidara as seen in the panels that they were arguing and standing in front of their coffins.**

 **Deidara was 5'5" feet when he died so you can guess how tall Sasori would be if he didn't turn himself into a puppet.**

 **Man; I rushed through this story. That's what I get when it was around four or five a.m.**

 **Until next time, everyone. Goodbye~!**

 **(P.S. If you hear the song** ' _ **City of the Dead' by Eurielle**_ **; you can feel the goodbye scene more emotionally.)**


End file.
